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Return to Grace
In the Federation-Klingon War (2372-73) ' |image= |series= |production= 40510-486 |producer(s)= |story= Tom Benko |script= Hans Beimler |director= Jonathan West |imdbref=tt0708590 |guests=Marc Alaimo as Dukat, Cyia Batten as Ziyal, Casey Biggs as Damar |previous_production=Crossfire |next_production=Sons of Mogh |episode=DS9 S04E013 |airdate= 5 February 1996 |previous_release=(DS9) Crossfire (Overall) Meld |next_release=(DS9) Sons of Mogh (Overall) Dreadnought |story_date(s)=Unknown (2372) |group="N"}} |previous_story=(DS9) Crossfire (Overall) Threshold |next_story=(DS9) Sons of Mogh (Overall) Meld }} Summary At First Minister Shakaar's request, Kira prepares to travel to a Cardassian Outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingon Empire. She is surprised to discover their her old nemesis, Dukat has been demoted from his powerful position and is now commander of a freighter that will take her to the outpost. Dukat reveals that he is in this situation because he brought Tora Ziyal, his daughter by his Bajoran mistress, back to Cardassia, a move which will destroy his life and career. Ziyal and her father are now outcasts, and the freighter is their home. Upon arrival at the conference site, Kira and Dukat find that Klingons have attacked the outpost and all the Cardassian and Bajoran diplomats are dead. The Klingon Bird-of-Prey responsible for the attack immediately detects Dukat's ship, but he is both humiliated and angry when the ship ignores his vessel, even after the freighter's feeble attempts at intervening. After the Bird-of-Prey leaves the area, Kira suggests they adapt the outpost's more powerful weapons for use on the freighter. As they work to install the outpost's disruptor on the freighter, Dukat tells Kira that stopping the Klingon ship will allow him to regain his standing in the Cardassian Empire. Later Kira gives Ziyal some crude military training, beginning to bond with the young woman. Soon Kira and Dukat deduce that the Bird-of-Prey's next target will be a remote world where the Cardassians have a secret weapons research installation. Once in orbit, the freighter sends out a false signal to mislead the Klingon ship into believing it has a valuable cargo, hoping to lure the Bird-of-Prey into firing range. It works and the Klingons soon appear. As expected, the Klingons lock a tractor beam on the freighter, giving Dukat the opportunity to fire his disruptor blast. Crippling the Klingon ship, Kira and Dukat commandeer it and transport its crew onto the freighter, while beaming their own crew to the Klingon ship, after which Dukat destroys the freighter, killing the Klingons. He reports his capture of the Klingon ship — and the valuable information it contains — to his government, but is shocked to learn that the Cardassians want to reach a diplomatic solution instead of seeking retaliation. Disgusted by his peoples' change of heart, Dukat vows to fight the Klingon Empire alone. Dukat asks Kira to join him, reminding her that after Cardassia, Bajor will probably be the next target of the Klingons. But she realizes that the life of a solider is no longer for her. She also knows it's no life for Ziyal, and takes the young woman back to Deep Space Nine with her to live until Dukat's war is over. Errors and Explanations Internet Movie Database Plot holes #The Klingons are not suspicious that the Cardassian ship they encountered some distance away has followed them to the same remote location. They obviously don’t recognise it as a threat. Plot Oversights # One wonders why Kira didn’t borrow a runabout. Maybe the Cardassian government ordered Dukat to transport Kira to the conference, possibly as a way of reinforcing his loss of status. # The Bird of Prey not destroying Dukat’s freighter even after it fires on them. They probably don’t consider it worth the energy that would be expanded by opening fire. Nit Central # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Tuesday, August 29, 2000 - 1:51 am: Why is Shakaar ordering Kira to help the Cardassians? Both Shakaar & Kira fought the Cardassians for years and now suddenly they are helping them? Either the Bajorans are an incredibly forgiving people, or they must really fear the Klingons. Even if they do believe that the Klingons are a greater threat to Bajor than the Cardassians, why not just give the information to the Federation and let them share it with the Cardassians? Stuart on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 5:53 pm: The conference Kira was going to was not really a mission to help Cardassia, but a conference on the Klingon invasion. Bajoran resentment of the spoonheads would likely take second place to the immediate threat of the Klingons overunning Bajor. So the intelligence shared on the Klingon invasions is of benefit of Bajor. Besides the Cardies have trouble enough with the Klingons, they are not in a situation to harrass Bajor. # When asked about herself and Shakaar, Kira tells Dukat, "None of your business!" This is a change from how she got rid of the unwanted affections of Tiron in Meridian. In that episode, rather than telling the guy to bug off, she pretends that she and Odo are lovers. (Of course, this change in attitude may have something to do with the fact that there is no one on the ship that she can cozy up to and pretend to be lovers with.) There could also be an element of resentment towards Shakaar, for sending her on the trip in the first place, which may explain why they eventually split up. # Cardassian sensors are good, at least the ones on run down old freighters. They picked up the Bird of Prey before it decloaked, whereas the sensors on DS9 didn't pick it up until after it decloaked. Perhaps Dukat managed to get them enhanced? # Why didn't the Klingon sensors detect power going to the disrupter in the cargo bay? The bay was probably heavily shielded, presumably to prevent the cargo from being beamed out by thieves. # LUIGI NOVI on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 1:00 am: After they succeed in defeating the Klingons, Dukat says that he will request his Legate title be reinstated. Legate title? When has he ever been a Legate? Anonymous on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 8:26 am: Dukat was made a Legate after Way of the Warrior and he lost his Legateship after Indiscretion. LUIGI NOVI on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 8:22 pm: Where was this established? What episode featured him addressed as Legate? Inklingstar on Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 8:49 pm: I am watching DS9 from start to finish, and I was looking out for Dukat's promotion to legate since I had heard of it. For one episode, Indiscretion, Dukat wears the same Cardassian Union symbol on his uniform that legates like Kell, Ghemor, and later Damar wear. Apparently he was indeed promoted after his actions in Way of the Warrior and lost it after Indiscretion. # Miks Nuss on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 7:29 pm: Dukat mentions contacting the Central Command at least twice in this episode, but I thought that the Central Command was disbanded when the civilian government took over. Teral on Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 6:37 am: I had the impression Central Command was simply placed under civilian control when the Detapa Council took charge. In other words Central Command was relegated to the same position StarFleet have in the UFP. Mike Nuss on Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 1:46 pm: Hmm, you might be right. The Way of the Warrior was a little unclear on the subject. I just checked and they said the civilians "overthrew" the Central Command but didn't really say that it didn't exist anymore. =Notes= Category:Episodes Category:Deep Space Nine